STATUS OF FISH HATCHERY AND NURSERY MANAGEMENT IN, DHANUSHA, NEPAL

The study was conducted to overview status of fish hatchery and nursery management. The main occupation of owners is hatchery business and 23% owners run as side business. 23% of respondents reared fifteen species including major seven species Rupchand, Puntius, Basai, Bhagi, Bata, Magur and Black carp. 30.8% respondents use brood stock from other hatchery of different place for cross breeding to reduce stress, inbreeding depression and to increase disease resistance, growth, performance and production. 61.53% respondents do not monitor the pond to check water quality pararameters like DO, pH and turbidity of water. The average hatchlings, fish fry and fingerling survivality was found 31.10%, 57% and 64% respectively. The problem encountered were flood, predator, unavailability of feed, hormone, fertilizer, skilled manpower and water shortage. The B/C ratio in private hatchery was 1.59 and 1.31 in government hatchery. Most of the respondents use motorcycle (53.8%) as means of transportation of fish seed. The main severe disease was learnaea followed by argulus. The inputs used in nursery management were less than that of recommended dose. High stocking density of fingerlings found (546.15kg/kattha). 69.23% of respondents sold fish, fry and fingerlings to distant market and 30.8% of fish farmers sold their fish seed products in local market. About 75%, 20% and 5% of hatchery fish seed production transferred through channel 1, channel 2 and channel 3 respectively. The problems faced in market were trader monopoly followed by open boarder, road inaccessibility, transportation loss and lack of market information